Noel Rutherford

"Baker was neither so deficient in virtues nor so replete with vices as is commonly alleged"
By sally tarbox on 13 March 2017
A very well-researched work, telling the story of the rise to power of Wesleyan clergyman Shirley Waldemar Baker. Arriving in Tonga from obscure origins, and rather snootily dismissed by his superiors on account of his accent, Baker nonetheless soon insinuated himself into the confidence of the King, George Tupou. Baker's basic medical skills and willingness to offer show more him advice meant he soon became indispensable to the ruler ... but started to arouse jealousy and enmity in his white brethren.

As Baker became increasingly disenchanted with Britain and with the Australian Wesleyan mission, who gladly accepted Tonga's greatly increased church collections while berating his controversial methods of achieving them, Baker started to gravitate towards German interests, thus upsetting the British government. New laws on land ownership infutiated Tongese nobles. And when the king and Baker introduced a breakaway Wesleyan church, it pretty much led to civil war...
And yet Baker achieved much, pushing for reforms that turned Tonga from a weak, unproductive nation to a more westernized one, able to engage in international relations and achieve independence.

This is at times a fairly complex narrative, but I found the rise and fall of this consummate politician quite fascinating. show less